Paper guide mechanism and printing device with paper guide mechanism

ABSTRACT

A paper guide mechanism includes an installation board and two guide assemblies. Each two guide assemblies slidably is engaged with the installation board and includes a first limiting piece, and the first limiting pieces are parallel to each other. One of the two guide assemblies is slidable relative to the installation board along a first direction, and another one of the two guide assemblies is slidable relative to the installation board along a second direction opposite to the first direction. Thus changing a distance between the first limiting pieces, so that the two guide assemblies can position different sizes of paper.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to printing devices, and more particularly to a printing device with a paper guide mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

A printing device may include a printing body and a paper tray secured to the printing body. The paper tray is configured to support sheets of paper needed to be printed by the printing body. The sheets of the paper may be easily disorderly and shift before entering the printing body when the printing device is shook, so that some data may not be printed. When the printing device needs to print, it is very inconvenient to manually adjust the position of the paper. Therefore, there is room in the art for improvement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a printing device in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a supporting tray of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an installation board of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded, isometric view of a paper guide assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cutaway, isometric view of a first positioning member of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an assembled view of FIG. 1, and the two guide assemblies is located on a first position.

FIG. 7 is another assembled view of FIG. 1, and the two guide assemblies is located on a second position.

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 6, and a second positioning member is located on a retraction position.

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 6, and the second positioning member is located on a inclined position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a printing device in accordance with an embodiment. The printing device includes a printing body 10, and a paper guide mechanism 100 installed on the printing body 10.

The printing body 10 includes a printing base 11 and a supporting tray 12 rotatably secured to the printing base 11. The printing base 11 defines an accommodation space 111 for receiving the paper guide mechanism 100 and the supporting tray 12. The accommodation space 111 is surrounded by two side plates 14 and a top plate 15. A pivot post 141 is located on an inner side of each of the two side plates 14, corresponding to the supporting tray 12.

The supporting tray 12 configured to support sheets of paper (not shown) and includes a supporting plate 120 and two pivot tabs 121. The two pivot tabs 121 extend downwards from two opposite sides of the supporting plate 120. Each of the two pivot tabs 121 defines pivot hole 122 corresponding to the pivot post 141.

FIGS. 1 and 6 show that, the paper guide mechanism 100 is configured to position the sheets of the paper and includes an installation board 17, and two guide assemblies 60 slidably attached to the installation board 17. Each of the two guide assemblies 60 includes a first positioning member 20, and a second positioning member 30.

FIG. 3 shows that the installation board 17 defines two first sliding slots 171 and two second sliding slots 173, each two first sliding slots 171, and the two second sliding slots 173 include a narrow portion 1711 and a wide portion 1713 in communication with the narrow portion 1711. The two first sliding slots 171 and the two second sliding slots 173 are arranged at four corners of a rectangle. The narrow portion 1711 of each of the two first sliding slots 171 has a first extension direction, and the narrow portion 1711 of each of the two second sliding slots 173 has a second extension direction. The first extension direction is opposite to the second extension direction. In one embodiment, the two first sliding slots 171 and the two second sliding slots 173 are both elongated, and the installation board 17 is substantially rectangular.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show that, the first positioning members 20 includes a first positioning portion 22 and two latching legs 21 located on the first positioning portion 22. The first positioning portion 22 includes a first supporting piece 25, and a first limiting piece 26 perpendicularly connected to the first supporting piece 25. The first limiting piece 26 defines an opening 28 and a receiving slot 29 in communication with the opening 28. A length of the opening 28 is smaller than a length of the receiving slot 29 in a direction that is perpendicular to the first supporting piece 25. The receiving slot 29 has a third extension direction that is parallel to the first supporting piece 25. Each of the latching legs 21 includes a sliding tab 23 and a connecting portion 24. The connecting portion 24 connects the sliding tab 23 to the first supporting piece 25. In one embodiment, the first supporting piece 25 is substantially parallel to the sliding tab 23, and a width of the sliding tab 23 is greater than a width of the narrow portion 1711 and is smaller than a width of the wide portion 1713 of each of the four sliding slots 171.

The second positioning members 30 includes a stopper head 31, a second positioning portion 33, and a connecting piece 32. The second positioning portion 33 includes a second supporting piece 35 and a second limiting piece 34 perpendicularly connected to the second supporting piece 35. The connecting piece 32 is connected to the stopper head 31 and the second positioning portion 33. The stopper head 31 is made of plastic, and a width of the stopper head 31 is slightly greater than the width of the opening 28. A width of the connecting piece 32 is slightly smaller than the width of the stopper head 31.

FIGS. 6 shows that, in assembly, the stopper head 31 of the second positioning members 30 is extruded into the receiving slot 29 of the first positioning members 20 through the opening 28. Therefore, the second positioning member 30 is retractably engaged with the first positioning member 20, and the stopper head 31 stops the second positioning member 30 from disengaging from the first positioning member 20.

In assembly of one of the two guide assemblies 60, the two latching legs 21 of the first positioning member 20 are inserted into the two first sliding slots 171 of the installation board 17. The sliding tab 23 is received in corresponding wide portion 1713, and the connecting portion 24 is engaged in corresponding narrow portion 1711. The first supporting pieces 25 and the second supporting pieces 35 are located on a same plane. The first limiting pieces 26 of the two guide assemblies 60 are parallel to each other. The one of the two guide assemblies 60 is thereby engaged in the two first sliding slots 171 and slidable along a first direction. Another of the two guide assemblies 60 is slidably engaged with the installation board 17 in a same way and slidable along a second direction along a second direction opposite to the first direction, to adjust a distance between the first limiting pieces 26 of the two guide assemblies 60.

The paper guide mechanism 100 is placed in the accommodation space 111. The installation board 17 is located between the two side plates 14 and secured to the two side plates 14 via a common fixed mode, such as, a screw locking mode and a soldering mode. The paper guide mechanism 100 is thereby secured to the printing body 10.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show that, in use, the two guide assemblies 60 is slidable relative to the installation board 17 between a first position and a second position. When the two guide assemblies 60 are located on the first position, a first distance is defined between the first limiting pieces 26 of the two guide assemblies 60, and the two guide assemblies 60 together clip a first paper. When the two guide assemblies 60 are located on the second position, a second distance is defined between the first limiting piece 26 of the two guide assemblies 60, and the two guide assemblies 60 together clip a second paper. The second distance is smaller than the first distance, and the size of the first paper is greater than a size of the second paper.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show that, the second positioning member 30 is retractable relative to the first positioning member 20 between a retracted position and a inclined position. When the second positioning member 30 is located on the retracted position, the second positioning portion 33 abuts the first positioning portion 22, and the two guide assemblies 60 clip a third paper. When the second positioning member 30 is located on the inclined position, the second positioning member is disengaged from the first positioning portion 22, and the two guide assemblies 60 clip a fourth paper, and a length of the third paper is smaller than a length of the fourth paper.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A paper guide mechanism comprising: an installation board; and two guide assemblies, each of the two guide assemblies is slidably engaged with the installation board and comprises a first limiting piece, and the first limiting pieces are parallel to each other, wherein one of the two guide assemblies is slidable relative to the installation board along a first direction, and another one of the two guide assemblies is slidable relative to the installation board along a second direction opposite to the first direction, to adjust a distance between the first limiting pieces.
 2. The paper guide mechanism of claim 1, wherein the installation board defines two first sliding slots and two second sliding slots; each of the two guide assemblies comprises a first positioning member, the first positioning member comprises two latching legs; the two latching legs of one of the two guide assemblies are slidably engaged in the two first sliding slots, and the two latching legs of another of the two guide assemblies are slidably engaged in the two second sliding slots.
 3. The paper guide mechanism of claim 2, wherein each of the two first sliding slots and the two second sliding slots comprises a narrow portion and a wide portion in communication with the narrow portion, each of the two latching legs extends through the wide portion to be engaged in the narrow portion.
 4. The paper guide mechanism of claim 2, wherein the two first sliding slots and the two second sliding slots are arranged at four corners of a rectangle.
 5. The paper guide mechanism of claim 3, wherein the narrow portion of each of the two first sliding slots has a first extension direction, and the narrow portion of each of the two second sliding slots has a second extension direction, and the first extension direction is opposite to the second extension direction.
 6. The paper guide mechanism of claim 2, wherein the first positioning member further comprises a first positioning portion, the first positioning portion comprises a first supporting piece connected to the two latching legs; the first supporting piece of the two guide assemblies are located on a same plane, and the first limiting pieces of the two guide assemblies are parallel to each other.
 7. The paper guide mechanism of claim 5, wherein the two guide assemblies are slidable relative to the installation board between a first position and a second position; when the two guide assemblies are located in the first position, a first distance is defined between the first limiting pieces of the two guide assemblies; when the two guide assemblies are located in the second position, a second distance is defined between the first limiting pieces, and the first distance is greater than the second distance.
 8. The paper guide mechanism of claim 6, wherein each of the two guide assemblies further comprises a second positioning member, the second positioning member comprises a second positioning portion and is retractable relative to the first positioning member between a retraction position and a inclined position; when the second positioning member is located on the retraction position, the second positioning portion abuts the first positioning portion; when the second positioning member is located on the inclined position, the second positioning portion is disengaged from the first positioning portion.
 9. The paper guide mechanism of claim 8, wherein the second positioning member further comprises a stopper head and a connecting piece, and the connecting piece is connected to the stopper head and the second positioning portion.
 10. The paper guide mechanism of claim 9, wherein the first limiting piece defines a receiving slot, and the stopper head and the connecting piece are received in the receiving slot.
 11. A printing device comprising: a printing body, and a paper guide mechanism installed on the printing body, the paper guide mechanism comprising: an installation board; and two guide assemblies, each of the two guide assemblies slidably engaged with the installation board comprises a first limiting piece, and the first limiting pieces are parallel to each other, wherein the two guide assemblies is slidable relative to the installation board between a first position and a second position; when the two guide assemblies is located in the first position, a first distance is defined between the first limiting pieces; when the two guide assemblies is located in the second position, a second distance is defined between the first limiting pieces, and the first distance is greater than the second distance.
 12. The printing device of claim 11, wherein the installation board defines two first sliding slots and two second sliding slots; each of the two guide assemblies comprises a first positioning member, the first positioning member comprises two latching legs; the two latching legs of one of the two guide assemblies are slidably engaged in the two first sliding slots, and the two latching legs of another of the two guide assemblies are slidably engaged in the two second sliding slots.
 13. The printing device of claim 12, wherein each of the two first sliding slots and the two second sliding slots comprises a narrow portion and a wide portion in communication with the narrow portion, each of the two latching legs extends through the wide portion to be engaged in the narrow portion.
 14. The paper guide mechanism of claim 13, wherein the two first sliding slots and the two second sliding slots are arranged at four corners of a rectangle.
 15. The paper guide mechanism of claim 13, wherein the narrow portion of each of the two first sliding slots has a first extension direction, and the narrow portion of each of the two second sliding slots has a second extension direction, and the first extension direction is opposite to the second extension direction.
 16. The printing device of claim 12, wherein the first positioning member further comprises a first positioning portion, the first positioning portion comprises a first supporting piece connected to the two latching legs; the first supporting piece of the two guide assemblies are located on a same plane.
 17. The printing device of claim 16, wherein the first limiting piece is perpendicularly connected to the first supporting piece.
 18. The printing device of claim 16, wherein each of the two guide assemblies further comprises a second positioning member, the second positioning member comprises a second positioning portion and is retractable relative to the first positioning member between a refraction position and a inclined position; when the second positioning member is located on the refraction position, the second positioning portion abuts the first positioning portion; when the second positioning member is located on the inclined position, the second positioning portion is disengaged from the first positioning portion.
 19. The printing device of claim 18, wherein the second positioning member further comprises a stopper head and a connecting piece, the connecting piece is connected to the stopper head and the second positioning portion.
 20. The printing device of claim 19, wherein the first limiting piece defines a receiving slot, the stopper head and the connecting piece are received in the receiving slot. 